I have searched for this and not really finding what I am looking for. Maybe I am asking/looking for something that does not exist.
Here is what I have and what I would like to do:
2 single car garage doors with older chamberlain openers.I would like to be able to remotely open or close the doors only. each door has it’s own opener and it’s own push button controller, both mounted next to the house door. I do not need sensors, I can look at my cameras and see if doors are open or closed. At this time, I do not want/need any automation/events.
I just hate when I leave home and get almost to work and think " did I close the doors?". Want to be able to look at the cameras and remotely close a door if needed.
What would be recommended to accomplish this easily and inexpensively, if possible? (also, I do not have an outlet near the current push buttons)
http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=122&cp_id=12212&cs_id=1221201&p_id=11993&seq=1&format=2
As cheap as you are going to get. it has 3 relays open/close/stop. you will have to use them like momentary buttons. so open will be door 1 push button and close will be door 2 pushbutton. Stop will be abandoned as you can’t trigger that.
While there may be less expensive options using a relay, the one thing I’ve learned from my Home Automation experience is that trying to save money while foregoing features you don’t think you need right now may come back to bite you in the butt. I have the Linear GD00Z openers for my garage doors and love it, I didn’t think I’d need any automation initially (I had Staples Connect which didn’t really do true automation for garage doors) but once I got my SmartThings hub I was able to do all sorts of things like have it remind me that I left the garage doors open after set amounts of time or use them as contact sensors for the SHM.
Timgray,
that sounds like a good fix to me. only question I have is, how does it get it’s power? Would I just splice into the low volt wires that go to my push buttons and the power would come from there?
blebson,
I fully understand what you are saying, I looked at the GD00Z but from what I can tell, I would need 2 of these right? if so, that would equal roughly $200.
I am new at all of this,so explain to me like I am 2 year old. 
Yes it would be about $90 each so $180. The benefit you get is that it’s both a garage door opener and an open/close sensor which can be leveraged within smartthings. You can get cheaper options that can get you the same functionality but you’ll need to use custom devicetypes and smartapps to get it all working. I personally didn’t have a choice because Staples Connect only has one option for garage door openers. It definitely stings a little at first but it was so easy to set up and use that I think it was well worth it.
You could use an LFM-20 relay connected to each opener. They get wired in parallel with the existing buttons and would be significantly cheaper than the GD00Z, but they also don’t include any safety features like the audible closing warning.
What advantage would there be using the LFM20 over the mono price item that Timgray mentioned?
I am not really concerned with the closing warning, door has safety sensors and we do not have any kids.
I only recommended it because I’ve used it and have seen many others on the forums report success with it. If the Monoprice relay can work for both doors, that’s even more savings.
Just so you’re aware, both of these options will require you to purchase another sensor to tell you when the door is actually open or closed. So that will be another $30 -$50 each. I believe the linear comes with everything you need.
From what I remember the safety features may be required by your insurance or even state law/building codes for remote operation of a garage door. I can’t find the source right now but I believe there needed to be an audible and visual warning that the doors were about to start operation.
Monoprice Tilt Sensor… $30, but often on sale, I think.
I have that tilt sensor and get false status updates all of the time. Sometimes the mechanical sensor sticks when the door opens/closes.
Mine works “perfectly”, though I don’t open the door often. You might be able to bend the angle of the tube to adjust the physical sensitivity… Or you have a crushed tube or cold shrinkage that is affecting the movement. Certainly highlights why solid state sensors are preferred!
You buy a 12V power supply and wire it in, dont wire it backwards or you fry the module. the documentation for the module covers exactly it’s voltage requirements, you will need some electronics skills to do the “cheap route”.
If you get the nutone or linear nd00z door opener they come with the sensors you need for the does.
Also, you mount them right next to your garage for owners and plug them in to the plugs the door opener are plugged into. They run off 120 vac.
They do not have to be right next to the door opener as the write that runs to the existing opener is quite long. So they can be put a bit away.
Depending on how old the Chamberlain openers are you could go with the MyQ package. LiftMaster MyQ Package
and a second 888LM. I just set this up for my 2 openers and it works great so far using [WITHDRAWN] MyQ LiftMaster/Chamberlain
Being the tinkerer that I am… I’m thinking that the writes going from the controller to the openers could be spliced. You could then have one controller run both openers.
Though you would then have to deal with both doors opening and closing together.
Plus if for some reason they for out of sync… That would just suck.
I’d just spend the 200.00 and get two controllers…
Some ideas need to be just written out cause they sound great in my head n… Until I write them out.
I am thinking the Monoprice relay is the best way for me right now. Least expensive route also.
I do not need tilt sensors, I have cameras for that.Now I just will need to figure out how to wire and make everything work correct and look the best.
If you are willing to do some programming and create a customer device type, there is a version of the monoprice zwave relay with dual relay outputs. In theory one device could control booth doors. You still need the “tilt” sensor for each door to detect open and closed.
Dont need a tilt sensor, the relay will close without a sensor. the smart things button will act like the button on the wall. you push it and the door will change from open/closed to closed/open he can see the state with his cameras.